


Redux

by Bjorntheblorg



Series: Acta Non Verba [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Blood and Violence, Only a little bit of blood and violence at the end, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-17 04:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14825235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bjorntheblorg/pseuds/Bjorntheblorg
Summary: History only repeats itself if you take the same actions as before.





	Redux

**Author's Note:**

> There's a bit of blood.

*Month 0*

 

“Hi, my name is Chloe Beale, and I’m here for the room?”

 

Normally Chloe was a ball of sunshine and self-confidence, but the unreadable eyes of the brunette before her chilled her to the bone. Suddenly she had the need to pull down her shirt, brush her hair, and straighten up. It didn’t make sense, the brunette was dressed in blue shorts and a white t-shirt that was far too big for her.

 

“Do you want a tour?” The brunette asked. She had opened the door enough that Chloe could see inside the condo, which looked unreal. It was exactly like the pictures on the website, pristine and shiny.

 

“Um, yeah, please.”

 

The brunette stepped aside and let her in, the entire condo was extremely clean and well lit, almost as if no one lived here. Chloe was half convinced that it wasn’t real and that the brunette would take her to another horrible condo and say, “Surprise bitch.”. Or maybe even sell her to a whore house.

 

“So, as long as you like what you see and are okay with the conditions, then you can move in today.” The brunette said, lazily taking her through the condo.

 

‘Are you high?’ Chloe thought.

 

“What are the conditions?” Chloe asked, looking around the condo.

 

“You have to be okay with smoking, random bouts of rage, violence, and drinking. Also, you have to be okay with being left alone, and avoiding Aubrey and her things.” The brunette said, taking out a cigarette from her pocket.

 

“You smoke?” Chloe asked, she wasn’t okay with the violence, but the price was low enough she could ignore it, mostly.

 

“We smoke.” The brunette corrected, putting the cigarette in her mouth. “But we mostly do that outside on the patio, and we aren’t that violent, we just yell at each other a lot. It’s the only way we know how to communicate sometimes.”

 

“Oh, okay.” Chloe didn’t know how to feel about that. She was saved from an awkward silence when a door burst open and another blonde woman walked out holding a coffee mug.

 

Oh. We made far more sense.

 

“Aubrey.” The brunette standing next to her nodded.

 

Aubrey ignored Chloe’s brunette escort, staring directly at Chloe with blank unwavering green eyes.“You must be Chloe Beale.”

 

“Yes!” Chloe said, smiling. “I am her.”

 

“Is there anything stopping you from moving in within the next few days? Preferably within the next two days?” Aubrey asked, and Chloe swore she didn’t blink the entire time.

 

Normally she’d be okay with looking people in the eye while they talked, but there was something about the intensity of Aubrey’s eyes that made Chloe flinch and desperate to look away, but at the same time, she was too captivated by the raw power to dare.

 

“Um, I’d have to wait until the seventh, because that’s when I get paid, but I should be able to move in by the eighth.”

 

Aubrey blinked.  “How much do you have ready now?”

 

Chloe’s mouth opened and she tried to figure out how to answer that, but Aubrey existed on her own timeline.

 

“Nevermind,” She shook her head. “Your rent is twenty dollars if you move in today for the rest of your lease.”

 

She sped past them, not allowing for Chloe to thank her.

 

“Is she, for real?” Chloe sputtered out. Twenty dollar rent?

 

“Yeah. She generally is.” Her escort shrugged. “So, when are you moving in?”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Since she had just moved from Portland, Chloe only had a box of things, a suitcase of clothes, and her car. The brunette, she just realized she still didn’t know her name, helped her unpack and settle.

“Give me twenty dollars and I’ll go give it to Aubrey.” The brunette said, holding her hand out.

 

Chloe took out a crumpled twenty and smiled.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

For the first time, Chloe saw the brunette's eyes, they were a stormy grey, like the clouds that brought snow and winter. She pressed her lips together into a small thin smile.

 

“Beca.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Beca lived in the other half of the condo, near the area where Chloe wasn’t allowed to go. Like the castle in Beauty and the Beast, the area where Aubrey lived was off limits. When she got close once, to go to the restroom nearby, Aubrey had appeared next to the redhead and scowled at her until Chloe walked away.

 

She thought she knew aggressive until she met Aubrey Posen. It was like watching an angry tiger walk around, muscles coiled and ready to strike if she had a reason. Her screaming matches with Beca, which sounded more aggressive in their German, were loud and terrifying. Chloe almost wanted to move out, until she noticed how Beca took the fights.

 

Beca couldn’t be bothered, she harassed Aubrey at every moment during the argument, at one point grabbing the blonde by the breasts to end a fight she was losing.

 

“You should stop wearing my bras, Aubs.” Becas winked at Chloe, who was curling in on herself on the couch, wincing. “I mean, it’s flattering and all, but it doesn’t suit you.”

 

Aubrey’s mouth shut close and she huffed. Even in retreat, she was ever graceful, it was an advance in the opposite direction not running away. Beca watched Aubrey’s retreating form and grinned, self-satisfied that she had stolen victory from the jaws of the tiger.

 

“Hey Red, are you good there?” Beca asked, plopping herself on the other side of the couch.

 

Lately, after arguments, Beca had taken time out of her night to sit next to Chloe and talk to her, as if she knew the redhead was disturbed on a fundamental level by the fighting. If Aubrey was the tiger Beca was a domestic cat, self-confident and vicious, but fluffy and comforting if she wanted to be.

 

Chloe looked at her and smiled. “Yeah, I guess. Do you guys have to fight so much?”

 

Beca chuckled and pulled out a cigarette. “Aubrey’s a massive ball of energy trapped in a human body, her only outlet nowadays is through yelling matches.”

“Are you okay with that?” Chloe asked, slowly unfurling herself. “It looks intense.”

 

“Yeah, she wouldn’t hurt me.” Beca shrugged. “We’ve been together for far too long for that.”

 

They spent the rest of the night eating takeout and watching T.V, Beca refused to watch movies, declaring one to two hours were far too short to be fully able to develop a “half decent” storyline. Halfway through the second seasons of Parks and Rec. there was a loud roar that made Chloe drop her bag of chips.

 

“Aubrey turn down Animal Planet!” Beca yelled in the blonde’s general direction.

 

Another roar defied Beca, and she groaned. She stood and stretched, making her way over to Aubrey’s room with the unlit cigarette in hand.

 

“I’ll be right back,” Beca said, loping her way to the Forbidden Wing, as Chloe christened it. “She probably can’t hear me over the tigers.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


After his two year-long deployment in the Navy, her dad was coming home and visiting her in the city. The moment she got the news Chloe screamed and threw her phone in the air, which hit Beca’s head. Even though Aubrey had amazing reflexes, she elected to catch the phone only after it hit Beca, stating that “It was moving to fast after Chloe threw it.” as her reason for not catching it.

 

By now Chloe was used to the two quarreling, and they had become close friends. (Or rather, over the past four years Beca had become fast friends with her. Aubrey, she couldn’t read, no matter how hard she tried.)

 

“Hey guys!” She yelled after putting her phone on mute. “Can my parents come visit?”

 

Beca was saved from any of Aubrey’s retorts when the blonde turned and looked at Chloe with a strange expression.

 

“When?”

 

“In two days?” Chloe asked. Aubrey stood still in the kitchen and looked at her blankly.

 

“You may bring your parents over.” Aubrey said, her green eyes boring into Chloe’s. “Haven’t you read the contract?”

 

Yes, only to figure out where to sign her name. Somehow she knew Aubrey wouldn’t appreciate that, so she just nodded and said, “I just wanted to double check if it was alright with you.”

 

It flipped a switch in Aubrey, her hard eyes soften and she nodded, a small smile gracing her face. 

 

‘She should smile more.’ Chloe thought, smiling back.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

After that Aubrey took an audit of all the items in the house, she always did that every month to figure out what they needed when she went shopping for non-perishables. This time though it was in the middle of the month and it was for Chloe’s parents.

 

“Wow Chlo.”

 

They were seated in the middle of the living room since Aubrey had declared everywhere else forbidden so she could also check on the condition of the condo. Aubrey left them snacks and drinks, even pulling out a mini-fridge just to house their refreshments, and let them use her laptop to stream movies.

 

Beca was sitting on top of a pile of pillows while Chloe laid on the couch watching cable. Surprisingly, or not really come to think of it, Aubrey had a full fledged cable package.

 

“You somehow managed to make Aubrey so happy she’s cleaning out of joy.” Beca said, munching on some beef jerky.

 

Chloe laughed, and stretched her arms. She was happy Aubrey liked her enough, or liked cleaning, that she was willing to deep clean the entire house just for her parents. At the same time, it was becoming a pain to be sequestered into one room, even if it was the biggest room in the entire house. There were only so many times she could be kicked out of the bathroom Aubrey wasn’t even cleaning yet because “I’m about to clean that, get out!”.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Surprisingly enough, Aubrey managed to clean the entire house by evening, even taking Beca and Chloe out to dinner for the trouble. After they stopped by Costco to buy everything they were “running low” on, which was absolutely nothing but Aubrey always “anticipated”. Chloe was sure they had enough of everything in the condo to survive a disaster, Aubrey stocked everything in massive quantities.

 

It took them a whole two hours, by the end of which Chloe was ready to make a run for it to the food court. Aubrey, sensing her prey attempting to run, quickly kept them in place.

 

“If you eat at the food court, I won’t drive you home.” She said nonchalant as she placed the items on the conveyor belt.

 

Four years ago Chloe would have laughed and rolled her eyes. Two years ago Chloe learned better when Aubrey left her at a bar because she used the restroom after Aubrey told her she couldn’t and it took Beca pleading with her for the blonde to send a taxi their way.

 

Beca and Chloe groaned, there was another person in front of them with enough liquor to open his own bar. Why did he need a thousand dollars worth of alcohol anyway?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

It took her four years to realize Aubrey barely ate at all. Once they got to a restaurant Chloe and Beca ordered full meals on Aubrey’s expense while the blonde only ordered black coffee. Beca read her mind, and quickly ordered a second main course to the surprise of their waiter and Chloe. Maybe even Aubrey.

 

“Also don’t forget a really rare steak for Aubrey.” Beca said while looking at the blonde. “Like, really rare. It’s still mooing rare. Moo.”

 

“How funny Mitchell.” Aubrey said over her cup of coffee.

 

The moment the main courses were served Aubrey’s lips pressed together into a thin line and her veins bulged from her grip on her utensils. It was like watching an alien learn how to eat, Aubrey kept looking at Beca who was shoveling food into her mouth and tried to mimic the actions.

 

Chloe was so entranced she didn’t notice Beca’s hand shoot out until she felt water splash against her hand. Aubrey noticed, and caught the glass before it could spill.

 

“Thanks Aubrey.” Chloe smiled and returned to her forgotten food, to the unseen relief of Beca.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Chloe woke up in the middle of the night for no good reason, she yawned and looked at her phone for the time, but her eyes were still sleepy and it took her a moment before everything stopped being blurry.

 

She snapped awake at the sound of something slamming into the wall.

 

“Dude, you’re losing it!”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“How are you going to survive when her parents get here?”

 

“Shut up Mitchell, she can hear us.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


“Daddy!” Chloe laughed, wrapping her arms around her father.

 

He was slightly taller than her, which meant she had to stand on her tippy toes just to hug him, but otherwise they were identical. It was strong genes according to her mother, who also had red hair.

 

“Mommy!” Yes she was nearly thirty and still called her parents that, sue her.

 

Beca appeared out of nowhere because of the noise, her usual snarky behavior pushed aside. Chloe liked to think that Beca was trying to impress her parents, even if Beca repeatedly denied it. Aubrey was busy working on her massive case, she hadn’t seen hide or tail of the recluse since two days ago when Aubrey announced under no circumstances should she be bothered.

 

Beca had tried to, but Aubrey slapped her so hard Beca was speechless for the rest of the day. It was the day after and Beca was back to talking, but Chloe noticed she stayed far away from the Forbidden Wing, even sleeping in the living room to avoid Aubrey.

 

“Honey, I thought you said you had two roommates?” Her dad asked, eyebrows scrunched.

 

Chloe smiled as Beca quickly brought out refreshments for her mom. “She’s very busy right now. She’s a lawyer.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The night climaxed to Beca pulling out an old set of Trouble and they played until they got a bit to loud and Aubrey rushed into the kitchen. She was dressed in a white button up shirt and a grey pencil skirt with her hair done up in a bun and glasses on for some strange reason. Aubrey had perfect vision.

 

Her eyes narrowed at them and her lips pressed into a thin line. She growled at them, okay huffed, and the glare she gave them made even carefree Beca shrink into her chair.

 

“In your lease you are allowed to have guests provided they are undisruptive.” She said, her voice dropping into a low growl, growing stronger with every word. “Do I have to kick you out for you to understand the rules?”

 

“Aubrey.” Chloe whispered, hoping to any higher being listening that she wasn’t going to follow through for once.

 

“Aubs.” Beca tried, but was shut down with a venomous glare.

 

“You can’t talk to my daughter like that.” Her dad snapped, he was always on her side defending her even when she deserved it. He stood up and brushed his pants off. “Let’s talk about this in the hall shall we?”

 

Aubrey said nothing, only tilting her head in the direction of the hallway. Chloe’s stomach knotted, there was something wrong about the entire situation but she didn’t know what. All she knew was her dad and Aubrey shouldn’t be left alone. She moved to stand, but Beca was on her, grabbing her arm.

 

“Maybe you should let them talk it out.” Beca said, trying to pull her back down to her seat.

 

“You know your Father,” Her mom said, a tight smile on her face. “He’d do anything for you.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

At some point Chloe had to go to the restroom, so Beca let her go begrudgingly. Her unease was growing, something was completely wrong. She shouldn’t have let her dad be alone with Aubrey. She shouldn’t have. Her nerves were shot and she had been shaking for the past few minutes.

 

Something drew her to the Forbidden Wing, she shuffled through even though she knew she wasn’t allowed there.

 

Her dad was there. He shouldn’t be with Aubrey. Something bad was going to happen.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time froze when she found them. Permanently burned into her memory was the image of Aubrey, shirt soaked in dark burgundy blood, with her hand deep inside of her father’s chest tearing out his heart. Aubrey’s eyes, locked onto her prey contrasted heavily with the agony her father’s eyes displayed. Right next to his head, held in his weakening grasp was a cleaver covered in black tar-like blood. In that moment, she realized anger and agony looked the same.

 

Chloe might have screamed, she wasn’t sure what she did beyond running but Aubrey was chasing her. She was faster, adrenaline kicked in and her body bolted faster than her mind could keep up. She rounded the corner using instinct alone, she didn’t realise she passed it until Aubrey caught her.

 

“Let me go!” She screamed, slamming the blonde into the table she put by the corner.

 

Aubrey grunted and Chloe continued running until she saw Beca standing at the end of the hallway.

 

“Beca!” Aubrey roared, her eyes were red and glowing. “Get her!”

 

“Beca please!” Chloe pleaded, her throat burning from exhaustion and tears. 

 

Beca looked at her, and shrugged with her hands open as if she wasn't able to do anything about the entire thing. Behind Beca was her mom, slumped over the table and Chloe was willing to bet not sleeping. It should have torn her heart, made her bleed, but she was numb and all she could do was react.

 

'I'm sorry mom.' Chloe thought, not sure what she was sorry about. That she couldn't help her? That she couldn't mourn her? That she wouldn't live through this?

 

Beca walked toward her with a sad look in her eyes, but nothing more, her grip was iron as she grabbed Chloe’s arms and kept her facing Aubrey. Chloe screamed and thrashed, but Beca kept her still as Aubrey advanced toward her. Beca was an unmovable mass behind her, unyielding and relentless.

 

“She’s not going to kill you.” Beca said gently, or as gently as a person like Beca could, Chloe was hard pressed to believe her.

 

Aubrey kept walking forward, her hair was abnormally blond, almost glowing even.

 

Chloe kept thrashing until Aubrey’s nail cut her forehead, which hurt far more than usual. She suddenly had the biggest migraine in the world, her head was throbbing and her eyes felt like they were going to burst out of their sockets. She would have thrown up, her stomach churned, but every twitch of her head or neck sent fresh new waves of agony into her skull. The pain crept up, starting from the base of her head to right over her right eye and she closed her eyes.

 

“I’m sorry.” Someone whispered as the entire world collapsed into black nothingness.


End file.
